Cheltenham Festival: Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore storm to second Champion Hurdle and make it 15 unbeaten
Honeysuckle beats Epatante and Zanahiyr to win second Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival; Henry de Bromhead's mare makes it 15 unbeaten; Appreciate It disappoints for Willie Mullins on seasonal reappearance
Tuesday 15 March 2022 18:35, UK
Honeysuckle brought the house down at Cheltenham as she took her unbeaten tally to 15 with another imperious performance in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Successful behind closed doors 12 months ago, the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare gave the huge crowd plenty to cheer about as she powered up the hill to join the elite hand of dual winners in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.
Appreciate It, having his first race since winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle on this day last year, made the running with Not So Sleepy for company until Honeysuckle made her move and jumped to the front at the second-last flight.
The 8/11 favourite set sail for home and though challenged by Nicky Henderson's 2020 winner Epatante (16/1), she was too good and went on to score by three-and-a-half lengths. Zanahiyr (28/1) was a length away in third place.
"It's ecstasy," said De Bromhead. "I hoped she'd get the welcome that she got and it's amazing for her.
"Rachael is brilliant. It's just a dream.
"I put myself under pressure and you want to be competing at these places so to do it again is just incredible."
De Bromhead admitted he had felt more pressure this year ahead of Honeysuckle's title defence.
He added: "I did (feel the pressure a bit more), with the crowds and the build up, so it's just amazing. The dream result was for her to win with the crowd here to cheer her and Rachael - it's amazing and no more than they deserve."
Blackmore - who made history last year when becoming the first woman ride the winner of the Champion Hurdle - said: "It's just incredible. Walking out there in front of the stand with all the people, it's just such a special place.
"I'm so lucky to be riding winners here and on this mare. It's class to have Kenny [Alexander, Honeysuckle's owner] here as well, he missed it last year.
"She's just incredible. She kind of decides in a race when she's happy to go on, I haven't stopped her from doing that yet.
"She's just an incredible mare. The work that goes into her at home is unbelievable as well, Henry's got a great team of staff and they deserve all the credit for this as well."
Cheltenham day one round-up: Brits lead the way
Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville were at the double on a good first day for the home team, just 12 months after they were mauled 23-5 by their Irish counterparts.
Constitution Hill confirmed his promise as a future superstar with an awesome victory in the Festival opener, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
He led home a Henderson one-two, beating stablemate Jonbon by 22 lengths after co-favourite Dysart Dynamo had crashed out of the contest.
Marie's Rock later proved a surprise winner of the Mares' Hurdle for Henderson and De Boinville as the 18/1 shot battled hard to beat Gordon Elliott's well-backed Queens Brook.
That had made the score 4-1 to Britain, with Alan King's Edwardstone going in for favourite backers in the Arkle Novices' Chase and giving rider Tom Cannon his first Festival winner.
On a great day for Scotland, Corach Rambler (10/1) took the Ultima Handicap Chase for former Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell, coming from the back to pick off Gericault Roque and Oscar Elite and provide Derek Fox with his first Festival success.
The Irish hit back later in the day, with Padraig Roche's Brazil upsetting hot favourite Gaelic Warrior in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, and Willie Mullins got off the mark in the National Hunt Chase as Stattler came home as an easy winner of the three-mile-and-six furlong marathon test.
Day two of the Festival features the highly-anticipated rematch of Shishkin and Energumene in the Champion Chase and you can follow every moment with our dedicated live blog from 12.30pm on skysports.com/racing.
